


The Bear

by Comedia



Series: Postwar Series [5]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-12
Updated: 2012-09-12
Packaged: 2017-11-14 01:51:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/510039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Comedia/pseuds/Comedia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard is forced to return to the hospital, and Kaidan tries to cheer him up by telling him about the “Shepard Teddy Foundation”. Oh, and there’s a Vega/Cortez cameo in there somewhere.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bear

Being released from the hospital only to be forced to return two weeks later is about as fun as defeating Sovereign and the Geth only to have The Collectors show up. It’s not only the feeling of failure; it’s also tasting freedom only to be confined to a hospital bed once again. When closing his eyes he can still see Kaidan setting down a breakfast tray on the bedside table, his smile as bright as the sunrays breaking through the curtain.

The apartment wasn’t anything special, all metal and scarce, but it was a home. It was more than a cabin on a warship, more than an antiseptic-scented hospital room. It was more than they’d ever had before.

They barely had time to settle in until the hospital asked him to return; something about the blood tests showing a lack of… well, a lack of those tiny things you need in your blood in order to survive. Shepard didn’t listen to them; the doctors are more than competent so there’s no need to keep track of all that medical gibberish. All he needed to know was that it wasn’t over; that he had to return to that damn room.

It’s been two days and Kaidan is supposed to show up any minute now. He’s not sure if he’s ready. There might be crying, a disappointed silence and worrying. There might be averted eyes, the weeks they had in the apartment a distant paradise and a constant reminder of what they can’t have; at least not yet.

There’s the sound of doors sliding open and he hesitates to look up, not sure whether he should say “hey” or “sorry”.

When hearing a growl his head snaps up though, only to find a pair of dark eyes - framed by brown fur - staring at him. A teddy bear is peeking around the corner, a fluffy paw waving hello.

“What the…” if he had been taking any medicines at the moment he would’ve blamed them, but this can’t be a hallucination… at least not a drug-induced one. “Kaidan?”

The bear moves into the room, revealing the hands holding it. Another pair of dark eyes meets his as Kaidan steps through the door, a faint smile on his lips. “Hey there.”

There’s a moment of silence, and he stares at the bear while Kaidan sits down in the chair next to the bed, placing the fluffy toy in Shepard’s lap.

“So, uh… who’s the visitor?”

He’s not sure if he’s smiling, but judging from Kaidan’s chuckle he’s probably doing one of those “weird Shepard grimaces” that everyone seems to be talking about.

“The Shepard Teddy Foundation, apparently an affiliate of ‘Shepards’.” Kaidan makes the bear wave again, the fluffy little arm mimicking the eagerness of a certain fan they met at the Citadel all those years ago. “90 percent of the profit goes to children on all planets affected by the war. The rest goes to ‘Shepards’. How can you not buy one?”

He clears his throat, not sure if he’s supposed to look at the bear or Kaidan.

“Well, that certainly is a good cause to support.” 

“You thought I’d randomly buy a teddy bear for you?” Kaidan’s smile is warm, his voice teasing.

“Hey, you’re a flower kind of guy, I’m never sure what to expect from you.”

“You could try expecting flowers?” Kaidan isn’t one to stick his tongue out at people when teasing, but the gesture is still right there in the tone of his voice. John instantly decides to never try poetry, at least not in public. I can hear the tongue in your voice is probably a pretty shit line.

He’s hesitant to reach for the bear, not sure how to interact with these kinds of things. He ends up patting the silky head absentmindedly, eyes on Kaidan instead of the toy.

“Do you have a name for it?”

“You’re supposed to name them?” The bear stares at him with those honey eyes, not unlike the ones of the man who bought it. “Didn’t know people did that. I’m not a toy-person.”

Kaidan doesn’t have to say anything, his expression is enough.

“Shut up. They’re ship replicas, not toys.”

Looking back at the bear he keeps patting its head, slowly but steadily making it fall over.

“How about Whiskey?”

“Sounds great.” He’s a little disappointed when Kaidan doesn’t ask how he thought of the name, but there’s a hand on his now, stroking his knuckles and intertwining their fingers. “I saw Vega blush today.”

“You’re kidding me.”

Kaidan shakes his head, his smile sly. “He was hanging out with Cortez at the docks. When Steve saw me carrying this he said that James would buy a dozen if they had any grizzlies.”

“And that made Vega blush?”

He gets the feeling that he’s missing something. After having stared at the bear in his lap for a while it finally hits him. “Oh. That kind of grizzly?”

Kaidan’s chuckle is answer enough.

It’s not like in the apartment, but it’s less painful and much less difficult than he expected. Kaidan stays until the nurse shows up to inform them that the visiting hours are over. “I hate to see you go, but love to watch you leave”, he doesn’t say it out loud anymore because Kaidan knows… and he’s probably getting tired of that line anyway. Shepard might’ve used it a little too much since that day when Garrus decided to teach him new pick-up lines.

Kaidan stops at the door, looking back at where Shepard lies tucked down in the bed with the bear at his side, sitting on the bedside table.

“Take care of Whiskey for me?” he asks, his voice soft. “It’s for a good cause, after all.”

John nods, glancing at the bear for a second and then looking back at Kaidan. “Sure thing, Major. He’s part of our squad now.”

The laugh is raspy and deep, the kind that makes saying good-bye a little harder. “Good.”

And yeah, he’s not a toy person, but even so, once the doctors have paid the final visit for the night, he reaches out for Whiskey and holds the bear close. It’s soft, small, and the fur tickles his skin; it’s nothing like Kaidan. 

But even so, it’s better than sleeping alone.


End file.
